The present invention generally relates to hair retaining devices used for hair styling and ornamentation, and more particularly to stretch comb type hair retainers comprised of combs held in opposition to each other by stretch elastic members.
Stretch comb hair retainers are in widespread use and are most often used by women to create a particular hair style or to provide a hair ornamentation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,086, issued Sep. 26, 2000, to Francesca Kuglen, shows a stretch comb hair retainer wherein two opposed plastic combs are connected by a series of parallel, fabric-covered elastic bands. Such stretch comb retainers are used by flipping the combs on the ends of the elastic bands over to an inverted position (see FIG. 3), placing the retainer over a portion of the hair, typically a gathered portion, and then, while stretching the bands, inserting the combs into the hair at either side of the portion of hair being retained. The restoring force of the elastic bands of the retainer acts to hold the retainer in place.
Stretch comb hair retainers as shown in the Kuglen patent have a number of limitations and disadvantages. First, the elongated regions between the parallel elastic bands of the retainer allow hair to escape or fall out after the retainer is in place, making it difficult to maintain certain hair styles, particularly for women with hair which is thin or fine. These regions are also too large to provide much holding force for holding a gathered portion of hair pulled through the retainer. A further limitation of the stretch comb retainer disclosed in the Kuglen patent is that the wide elastic bands are inherently obtrusive and limit the retainer's use to hair styles dominated by the fabric-covered bands.
Still another disadvantage of prior stretch comb retainers such as disclosed in Kuglen relates to the use of relatively rigid plastic combs. When inserting the plastic combs into the hair, pressure is applied on the individual teeth of the combs. This pressure can cause the teeth to break off, making the stretch comb retainer unwearable. Plastic combs are also relatively bulky and obtrusive and do not have a great deal of staying power in the hair because the hair easily slides across the smooth surfaces of the plastic comb.
There is a need for a stretch comb hair retainer that overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of the stretch comb hair retainer disclosed in the Kuglen patent, one that provides greater flexibility in creating hair styles than has heretofore been possible.